Improvement in machinery for stocking, unhairing, and softening hides



R. MIDDLETON. Machinery for Stooking, Unhairing, and Softening Hides.

No. 221,246. Patented Nov. 4, I879.

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UNITED STATES PATENT O EIoE.

ROBERT MIDDLETON, OF LEEDS, COUNTY OF YORK, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINERY FOR STOCKING, UNHAIRING, AND SOFTENING HlDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,246, dated November 4, 187

May 31, 1879; patented in England, March 19, 1879.

; application filed To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MIDDLETON, of Leeds, in the county of York, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus employed for Stocking, Unhairing, and Softening Hides, Skins, or Leather, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

M yiin provements in machinery or apparatus for stocking, unhairing, and softening hides, skins, and leather have the effect ot'rendering the machines capable of operating much more quickly upon the leather, hides, or skins, consequently doing a greater amount of work. By these improvements, also, the number of strokes of the machine or blows per minute upon the leather may be varied; also, the strength or force of the blows may be varied. Figure 1 is a part longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a part transverse section, Fig. 3 a plan looking atthe top, and Fig. at a front elevation of part of machine to be described hereinafter.

I place two steam-cylinders, a 0, 011a founelation-plate, 1), side by side, so as to act direct upon the stockfeet- 0 c, which are coupled to the end of the pistcn-rods d d by means of ordinary cotters c, as shown. Motion is imparted to the pistons, which are within the cylinders and of ordinary construction, by steam, which is admitted thereto through ordinary slide-valves by means of a variable valve-motion, fft being the valve-spindles, each being actuated by means of a sliding cam, g, through oscillating levers h and i. The required motion is transmitted to the cam from one of the piston-rods, d, through lever j and connecting-rod 7c. The motion of the cam gis varied by a self-acting ratchet arrangement.

Every stroke of the pistons carries the lever j with them, from which an intermittent motion is transmitted to the bevel-wheels land I through the ratchet-lever m, pawl a, and ratchet'wheela, the bevel-wheel 5 being fitted with sliding key onto the screw 0, on which, also, is provided the nut 19. On a rotary movement being given to the screw 0 a traverse motion is imparted to the nut 10, which carries with it the ratclietgearing, and lever m also varies the position of the end 7c of the connecting-rod is in the slot j of the lever j, which has the effect of varying the traverse of the cam g, and thence the motion of the slidevalves employed for admitting steam into the cylinders also, by this motion the steam is exhausted at variable points of the pistons stroke. The object of this variable movement is to cause the stroke of the stocks feet to be more or less effective, consistent with the proper working of the leather, hides, or skins.

As well as the above automatic arrangement of varying the stroke, it may also be varied by the hand of the attendant.

In order to effect a regularity of stroke of both piston-rods d and d, I apply a provisional tappet-motion on the piston-rod d. The position of the clamp or tappet q may be adjusted and fixed in any required position on the piston-rod d, and in the event of the stroke of the piston-rod d differing from that of the pistonrod d the clamp or tappet q comes in contact with one of the collars r or r on the rods, which is mounted in suitable bearings, t, causing it thereby to move either right or left, which movement is transmitted to the slidevalve spindle f, causing thereby the valve to be moved and the stroke of the pistons to be reversed. This arrangement only comes into operation when any irregularity occurs, and has the effect of preserving the stroke of each piston the same.

1 also conduct the exhaust-steam into jack eted ends, a, of the framework, suitable openings being provided for the admission and exit of the same, and the steam supplies an inexpensive artificial heat to the stocks for the purpose of quickening the process.

Having now described the nature of the said invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine for stocking, softening, and nnhairing hides and skins, the combination of one or more stock-feet, c, the piston-rod (1, connected thereto at one end, a piston at the other end of the rod (1, the steam-cylindera, steamvalve, and valve-operatin g mechanism, substantially as set forth, whereby the elastic force applied to reciprocate the stock-feet can be varied as required and as specified.

2. The combination, with the stock-feet c 0 and means for reciprocating the stock-feet, of the jacketed ends a, into which steam is introduced, substantially as set forth.

ROBERT MIDDLETON.

Witnesses:

J. W. HARDING, WM. FAIRBURN HART. 

